David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name - C or D?

also if we're talking about emerging songwriters within the Byrds you have to consider Chris Hillman as much as Croz

agree that it's generally pretty difficult to parse band dynamics. But it isn't difficult to make a judgment on what the likely merits various members brought to an ensemble based on what they did *outs8de* of that ensemble, ie on their own. Clark and Neil (and McGuinn, albeit to a lesser extent imo) went on to produce fantastic work. Crosby not so much (full disclosure I hate CSN and IICORMN)

to extend the Marvel bullpen analogy, this is the same as asking what Stan Lee created of note once Kirby and Ditko abandoned him (answer: nothing)

Crosby not so much (full disclosure I hate CSN and IICORMN)

― Οὖτις, Monday, August 5, 2019 10:32 AM (two minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

haha okay but other than that how was the play mrs. lincoln?

if i could only remember my name is stone cold classic

and as deej said upthread, his recent albums are surprisingly good

Which might be the difference: I (admittedly a minority) like Crosby's songs on the first two CSN/CSNY albums.

Funniest blowhard moment in the documentary (although he does seem to be saying it half tongue-in-cheek): Crosby lobbying to be put in the Rock 'n' Roll HOF a third time, because CSNY should be inducted on their own (CSN have already been inducted).

lol

that reads kind of like a sad attempt to generate an excuse for his old bandmembers to maybe consider talking to him again

Crosby lobbying to be put in the Rock 'n' Roll HOF a third time, because CSNY should be inducted on their own (CSN have already been inducted).

― clemenza, Monday, August 5, 2019 10:38 AM (nineteen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

lol ok gotta respect the hustle

"Renaissance Faire" is great, wtf.

Byrds harmonies dipped a bit, post-Croz.

don't like it whaadya gonna do

but yeah I mean he was key to two of the great harmony singing groups ever not accident

I can understand not liking CSN because of Stills but Crosby's singing with them is beautiful.

the following video, which we talked about a lot some time ago with Crosby's murderous approach, remains my go-to Crosby document (after this thread's titular album)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_fZUgeLL0o

His songs on the first Crosby & Nash album are so dope, especially Whole Cloth--slow, jazzy, contemplative mode Croz with twinkling Fender Rhodes

I'm going to try to get this out of the weeds...My broader point above was that, even though he descended to a buffoonish caricature at his lowest point, David Crosby helped create some incredible music--some of which he wrote, some of which he didn't. I think he's half-right about CSNY going into the Rock and Roll HOF. CSN is like 70% of the people in there: they certainly don't need to be, but they're not the worst pick. (29% of the inductees belong, and 1% of them is the worst pick.) But if you're only going to go with one, CSNY would be better than just CSN.

To its credit, the documentary doesn't end with some cornball reunion engineered by Cameron Crowe. But it'll happen--first, because that's what these guys do, break up to make up, and it's also clear that Nash is softening up at the end.

I doubt Neil will do it unless he breaks up with Darryl Hannah

i think there about 4 other bands i'd rather see neil get back together with

i mean, pearl jam would be more interesting for heaven's sake ... maybe it's time for a 20th anniversary mirror ball reunion tour.

I know people don't like Stills but I kinda feel for the guy, I read somewhere he's going deaf and his voice has been cooked for awhile

one of my go-to 'what if' scenarios is imagining Neil never joined CSN, and they just covered his stuff once in a while at the most.

is this streaming anywhere?

Crosby seems kind of lonely right now; if you call him up, he may let you come over and watch it.

I'm sure he would love to hear how I wrote a sort of snarky song about him

i mean croz is sort of a legendary asshole with regrettable facial hair and probably that liver could have gone to someone more virtuous but on the other side of the equation he is at least apparently dying more-or-less alone and unloved, which is a fate a lot of legendary assholes seem to avoid, and also he did write some fucking fantastic songs. there are people a lot more worth hating than croz, is what i'm saying, enough of them that i just don't have any hatred left over for him.

Def prefer the work of Crosby and Stills over Nash’s wubbly weak stuff

Nash’s Hollies songs > Crosby’s Byrds songs

yeah what a fine metric to judge them by

the best hollies song is “dragging my heels”

I think I just don’t like the sound of his voice and his treacly songwriting. I like the sample of “Chicago” in that beanie Siegel song... I like “teach your children” but mainly for jerry garcia

I believe Crosby is alone among his peers for writing a song Miles Davis covered. Unfortunately, it (“Guinnevere”) happens to be the only out-and-out dull recording of Miles’ electric period.

Nash’s Hollies songs > Crosby’s Byrds songs

I'll do this only with my favourite songs by each band--they wrote others.

Had to check the credits on my four favourite Hollies songs: "I Can't Let Go," "Carrie Anne," "On a Carousel," "Pay You Back with Interest." Nash co-wrote the last three.

So for me they'd be up against "Eight Miles High," "What's Happening?!?!," "Lady Friend," and "Draft Morning," all co-written by Crosby.

If I put the last three Crosby songs against Nash's three, pretty close--I could go either way. But "Eight Miles High" is decisive.

I don't know enough about electric Miles to call it the only truly dull recording of the period, but it's certainly far, far worse than electric Miles doing Guinnevere ought ever to be.

(xp) "What's Happening?!?!" and "Lady Friend" were 100% Crosby songs, not co-writes fwiw.

And Lady Friend is arguably a top 5 Byrds song.

Yeah, I goofed on those songwriting credits. "Lady Friend" is fantastic. I think my Top 5 would be "She Don't Care About Time," "Eight Miles High," "Wasn't Born to Follow," "Goin' Back," and either "You Showed Me" or "Here Without You" from Preflyte. "Lady Friend" would be one of the next five for sure.

You Showed Me is Clark/McGuinn! Crosby not credited on the Turtles version etc

And Eight Miles High, gimme a break - more Stan Lee syndrome ie puttin his name on shit that was almost entirely the work of others

More like the other way round on "The Notorious Byrd Brothers".

Not sure what you mean there.

Goin Back also not a Crosby song + he hated it

I was listing my five favourite Byrds songs period, whether Crosby wrote them or not--should have been clearer. Was just agreeing with NTI that "Lady Friend" was close to the top.

And Eight Miles High, gimme a break

Because you were there in the studio, right? Your dislike of Crosby seems a little intense.

McGuinn/Hillman finished off "Draft Morning" and put their names on it to Crosby's chagrin.

Crosby wanted "Triad" on the album instead of "Goin' Back".

(xxp) I mean McGuinn and Hillman attaching their names to songs that Crosby claims were almost entirely his work.

(xp)

XP By "finished off", I mean added a couple lines and brought in the Firesign Theatre to do sound effects.

On "Draft Morning".

With the usual caveats about Wikipedia, this presents Crosby's contributions to "Eight Miles High" as much more than just putting his name on something.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Miles_High#Composition

He contributes what is, for me at least, the song's single most unforgettable line--"rain grey town"; I used that for a chapter title in a book--and he's the guy who plays Coltrane and Shankar for the rest of the band. If you accept McGuinn's version, Crosby contributes more than that to the lyrics.

It looks like the song is primarily Clark's, yes, but Crosby's contributions to the writing and the playing seem crucial to me.

caught the doc last night. A lot of entertaining bits, as one would expect from someone as alternately cantankerous and reflective as Croz. Didn't raise my estimation of his musical prowess any - he's still definitely the lesser light among his many contemporaries/collaborators imo (McGuinn, Neil, Joni, Nash, etc.) - but he is a compelling subject, and his humility and contrition about his many fuckups come off as genuine, admirable, and, ultimately, tragic. The end where he discusses how no one wants to talk to him or work with him and why is he alive when so many of his friends are dead is some for real, heavy shit.

As always, the omissions were also interesting: no discussion of his brother's suicide, and Gene Clark doesn't get even a mention (he's not even in any of the Byrds clips that flash by). And my wife wanted to know why they didn't mention the Melissa Etheridge sperm donation lol.

also lol I had never seen that Silent Night performance before, that shit was hilarious

Brought a ringer into the studio to sing pic.twitter.com/D9o9wkMXPh

— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) December 11, 2019

The guy's voice is still in amazing shape, which must be something of a small miracle. Still, betting Isbell is Twitter-blocking him by the weekend...

Good interview.

http://www.gq.com/story/david-crosby-coronavirus-touring-interview

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/10/david-crosby-backlash-eddie-van-halen-tweet/?new=true